Monday, September 15, 2014

In 1974 a referendum on legalized gambling failed to pass in
New Jersey. Two years later it did. And the power brokers who were pushing for
it then wouldhave made sure it was on the ballot until it did pass. It was important, it was said, to add to the state’s
coffers and support new state initiatives and
education. Ah, education – the black
hole of American politics. Thirty–eight years later, politiciansare still carping about the need for more
funds for education.

The salty air was full of promise of revitalizing Atlantic City.
All those mom and pop businesses: shops, cafes and restaurants that had been relegated to the dust heap of
urban decaywould once again enjoya booming patronage. Never happened.
Oncea casino was built it became an
all-encompassing entity. All your needs could be obtained therein with a
plethora of diningoptions in the hotels
themselves. Why would you want your
clienteleleaving your premises for any reason while they still had two rubles left in their pockets to lose. If anything,gambling in Atlantic City spawned pawn shops
and prostitution. And catered to the addictions of thrill seekers. And its
fabledSteel Pier, a family attraction
for generations, was dismembered. Why
would you want kids distracting from their parents' time onthe casino floor. Better to let the whippersnappers stay at home while
mom and dad thinned out their college
funds.

Big players were offered comped rooms. How many times did I
hear friends and acquaintancesboast of “being comped,” as if it was some endearing invitation from
their friends at Caesars or Trump’s or Harrah’s or Resorts the first
casino to open in 1978. “Being comped ,” to these slubs, carried James Bondian
status but even Moneypenny would have seen through the subterfuge.

Then there were the senior bus rides from all over New
Jersey, enticing senior citizens to enjoyan exciting day awayfrom the
doldrums of old age. With an added bonus of getting $25 in quartersfor the slots and, in some cases, a complementary free lunch. Coming up with
activities where our seniors could blow their Social Security checks – now
that’s community-minded altruism.

The final straw in the demise of paradise by the sea was a
hostof casinos going down for the third
time, drowning in an ocean of red ink, especially thetwo-year-old Revel, acasino builtcosting $2.4 billion. Itwasjust soldto Florida's Polo North Country Club
for $90 million and will be reborn, so a spokesman says, as a “mega casino,” pending
court approval. The new ownersmust
still believe the adage that a fool and his money go separate ways. Or, as P.T.
Barnumonce said, “There’s a sucker born
every minute.”

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Another American journalist has reportedly been beheaded by
another blood thirsty, ISIS jihadi. Early reports indicate it may be the same
man who beheaded James Foley. I am curious as to how the Obama administration
will spin and vacillate over this latest horror. We know how the president
handled the last execution – a tepid speech followed by a round of golf. With
nary a wince for Mr.Foley’s parents.

These last few months have seemed to unravel any notion that
we are safe and secure in America. The southern border continues to spurt
strangers with little or no documentation. Then there’s the thousands of
Central American children who trekked north, many all alone. Some with diseases
and other problems saddling border towns witheconomichardship. In such a
scenario are we being alarmist thinking that the very people who are murdering
in the name of religion have found their way here as easily as unaccompanied
children.

The international picture continues to be bleak. China and
Russia continue their expansionist policies. Remember when both the Soviet
Union and China accused the United States of being an imperial power? And there
were plenty of voicesin this country
who agreed with that assessment. That liberal argument has collapsed under the weight of its own incredulity.

At least in those days, though, we had a cohesive foreign policy, presided over by an engaged chief executive. Now our foreign policy seems to be formulatedon the fly by a host of incompetent advisors . Sometimes not. The president announced
last week he has no strategy as of yet to deal with ISIS. Pronouncements like
these should scare the hell out of all Americans. Just as the horrific images
being splashed across social media of Steven Sotloff being murdered.

Mr.Presidentdo
something to assuage the grief of Mr. Sotloff’s family. Do something to help the innocent
people being herded into dead marches and mass graves. If you’re not up to it; or have
checked out like so many of your critics have said, then step down. Our
constitution allows for the transfer of power when a president is
incapacitated. For whatever reason we seem to have breached this territory. You’d
have so much more free time for fund raising and socializing with your elitist
friends. And, for golf of course.